


"Best-friends"

by stardivarius



Category: Women's Soccer RPF
Genre: AU, F/F, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-03-18
Updated: 2013-08-06
Packaged: 2017-12-05 17:13:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 7,239
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/725794
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stardivarius/pseuds/stardivarius
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Best-friends totally do things like this all the time.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Subtle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes we suck at subtle.

 “Get your ass on that field, goddamit Tobin!”

 

Tobin carefully laid her surf magazine in her lap, adjusted her glasses and sighed as if chastising a child. Alex eyed the magazine suspiciously, knowing Tobin had hidden another book under there. She knows if she suddenly lifted up the magazine, a dictionary or some sort of mini-encyclopaedia would materialise and Tobin would claim that it had conjured itself out of thin air.

 

“Thou shall not take the Lord’s name in vain,” she replied matter-of-factly, raising an eyebrow not daring to sneak a look at her friend. Alex huffed and crossed her arms across her chest. Tobin was lucky she hadn’t looked. A pouting Alex Morgan is a force to be reckoned with.

 

“Take your smart ass on that field right now or, so help me God, I will drag you there myself,” said Alex rolling her eyes. She could already see Tobin starting a debate in her head; between continuing to read her “surf magazine” or getting physically dragged outside by Alex. The second time that week.  Tobin didn't enjoy being told what to do, particularly if it involved “dragging” of any sort, but, she wouldn't mind if it was Alex. They’re best friends after all.

 

“You, my friend, for lack of a more eloquent word, are an asshole. An asshole’s asshole,” said Tobin removing her glasses and closing her magazine. Alex was already winning this battle, “I have a burning desire to-”

 

“And we all have burning desires, babe, but we need to go and commit leg suicide out there right now!”

 

Tobin huffed in mock annoyance and carefully stood up in exaggerated sluggishness. Out of habit, Tobin immediately grabbed Alex’s hand and laced their fingers together. Alex smiled; best friends hold hands all the time.

…

 

After ten minutes, Alex realised how ridiculous Tobin’s stretching was becoming. She watched her friend with a raised eyebrow and folded arms as Tobin easily relaxed into a split. Kelley and Hope stood to the right and left of Alex with similar bewildered expressions, heads tilted to the left, watching curiously.

 

“Tobin, I know stretching is important and shit, but you don’t need to stretch your vagina,” said Kelley grimacing as Tobin leaned forward, touching her forehead to the grass, deepening her split. Lauren scrunched up her nose and nudged Kelley with her shoe. Hope snorted and Pinoe sidled clumsily towards them with an armful of Gatorade. Alex hadn’t taken her eyes off Tobin even when Pinoe deposited a bottle of Gatorade into her folded arms and noisily dumped the rest on the grass.

 

“Pinoe, these are for free, there’s no need to rob the entire cooler,” said Abby grinning and uncapping a bottle. Pinoe frowned at her and stuffed three bottles in her bag shrugging.

 

“More for me then!” exclaimed Pinoe tipping Gatorade into her mouth, spraying her drink everywhere as she spoke.  Sydney threw a handful of grass at Pinoe’s head.

 

“I am completely stretching my thigh muscles if you must know,” said Tobin rolling her eyes, “I am not stretching my vagina!” she added in a low hiss, blushing crimson, not catching Alex’s amused expression and Lauren’s mortified one.

 

“Ladies, we are doing circuit training! Running and more running, how does that sound?” barked Pia appearing next to Hope, causing her to jump violently and bump into Alex. Pinoe and Sydney openly snickered at Hope. Hope scares easily. Laps are okay with her, she can keep up with Tobin. 

 

Alex found herself running her eighth lap that session. Groaning quietly, she adjusted her hot pink headband and blinked the sweat from dripping into her eyes. Tobin was still easily running circles around her exhausted team. Alex sighed, there is absolutely no way Tobin was spent yet, in fact, she and Tobin were the only ones still standing. But she's kept up with Tobin before; she knows she can do it again. 

 

“I think my eyeballs are sweating,” said Pinoe after plopping ungracefully onto Sydney, “you’re really comfortable Leroux, don’t move an inch,” she sighed. Sydney uncapped her bottle and poured it onto an unsuspecting Pinoe who squealed and jumped up, dripping Gatorade everywhere.

 

“I think Kelley’s run her twelfth lap already. She needs to stop messing up,” said Sydney whose face was covered with a towel, her voice muffled slightly, “And Tobin is being a total gun out there,” she added glancing at Alex.

 

Pinoe frowned slightly before snickering playfully at Kelley who seemed to be looking at Lauren’s retreating back…side

 

“Shut up, I heard that!” Kelley called out flipping them off behind her back. Alex grinned remembering that Kelley only ever messed up or got flustered around Lauren; who happened to be bending over fixing her shoelace when Kelley was supposed to receive the ball.

 

Tobin stood next to Alex with the biggest shit-eating grin on her face, bouncing on her toes, barely sweating, almost like an overexcited child. Tobin edged closer to Alex, her expression still completely animated. Alex wrapped a hand around Tobin’s wrist, thumb tracing circles on it, Tobin stilled her movements.  Alex smiled.

 

“Tobin, training is over. Why the fuck are you so hyper? Calm down a little,” sighed Sydney throwing a towel at Tobin’s head, missing completely.

 

Alex sighed and shook her head at Sydney. Sydney shrugged apologetically and Pinoe helped her to her feet. Alex watched the two skip playfully off in the direction of the locker rooms. She glanced at Tobin who was about to take off after Sydney and Pinoe but –

 

“Heath! Morgan! Twenty laps!” yelled Pia packing away the cones. Alex groaned. Tobin took off sprinting happily around the field. Alex sighed; her best friend is a ridiculous athlete. But best friends always keep up with each other. 

…

 

 


	2. Sleep = Danger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sleep is weakness and weakness is sleep

“I can’t believe you’re _still not_ tired,” moaned Alex drying her long, wet hair with a fluffy towel, “Shit, Tobin, if I have to untangle you or something, you’re not allowed to get mad me for breaking you in half,” she added grimacing, watching Tobin stand up and easily touch her forehead to her shins.

 

Alex pretended she hadn’t caught herself staring at her best friend, but blushed anyway. Telling herself it was perfectly alright to find other people attractive, including her best friend, she hid her face in her towel and suppressed another yawn.

 

“I wanted to go for another run tonight, or surf, or something asphysically exhilarating, but the girls find me strange,” replied Tobin crossing her right leg over her left. Alex frowned when she realised what Tobin was about to do.

 

Tobin had now gotten herself into a painful-looking yoga posture on the floor between their twin beds. Her right leg was crossed over her left, and was squatting on her left heel, hands pressed together and eyes closed. Though Tobin made it _seem_ easy to do, Alex knows she’d most likely end up stuck. Or with a dislocated limb. One or the other.

 

“Well, could you hurry up and finish physically exhilarating yourself and get to bed? You’re not that weird. I promise,” moaned Alex, her voice muffled under the towel that completely engulfed her head and shoulders. Just barely able to stifle another yawn, Alex slumped backwards onto her bed missing her pillows completely and smacked her head hard on the wooden headrest with an audible thump.

 

“Ow goddamit, my frickin braincells,” Alex groaned rubbing the back of her head.

 

““Thou shall not take the Lord’s name in vain,” Tobin said exasperatedly.

 

“Ugh, shut up,” moaned Alex in mock seriousness. Her eyelids had suddenly become the heaviest thing she’d ever lifted.

 

“I didn’t think being strange _was_ a bad thing. I’m almost done, I’ll turn out the lights soon,” Tobin added not bothering to open her eyes, knowing full well that a sleepy Alex Morgan is also a force to be reckoned with.

 

“Don’t forget your medicine, Toby,” Alex said almost unintelligibly. She closed her eyes with a content sigh.

 

Tobin looked up and smiled. **Alex Morgan _was_ snoring**. Slow, albeit, thunderous, snores. She opened her eyes to see Alex slumped on the headrest still half-seated and half sprawled on her bed, towel still draped around her shoulders, and pillows tossed near her feet. Tobin couldn’t help but find her adorable though her snores could be easily likened to a V8 race-car.

 

With a sigh, Tobin stood up, flicked off the lights and walked to Alex’s bedside to retrieve the damp towel. She somehow managed to coax Alex under the quilt and get a pillow beneath her head. Tobin gently brushed her fingers through Alex’s damp hair to get it away from her face and bent down to plant a kiss on her forehead. She breathed in the faint smell of Alex’s shampoo. It was the perfect measure of cinnamon and peppermint. Perfect. Her two favourite scents in the world, and her best just happened friend happened to smell like them.

 

Alex momentarily snapped out of her sleepy haze just in time to hear Tobin whisper, “goodnight, baby-horse.”

 

Tobin downed her pills in three gulps. One gulp for wetting her mouth. One for practice. And one for the actual medicine. Tobin crawled into bed, pulled her quilt to her chin and convinced herself that best friends do kiss each other all the time.

 

…

 

Alex blindly fumbled around her bedside table and successfully managed to locate her phone whilst making enough noise to wake the entire hotel. Tobin, however, was still completely asleep. She could probably sleep through a tornado if it ever happened.

 

“2.58am? **_No_** **_frickin’ way_** ,” Alex sighed; she knows that she needs to be awake at five to sneak out to train with Tobin. She closed her eyes only to open them in frustration when she heard Tobin shift again in her sleep. Tobin Heath, even whilst asleep, does not know how to stop moving.

 

With a groan, Alex climbed out of bed, only to fall into a graceless heap onto the floor. She held back an eye-roll at her uncoordinated limbs and half-crawled, half-limped to Tobin’s bed.

 

After deciding that hovering over her best friend whilst she was asleep was more inappropriate than sharing the bed with her, Alex climbed in next to Tobin. She pulled the covers up to her chin and somehow punched herself in the eye. She blamed the fact that she was still half-asleep and therefore could not control her limbs properly.

 

Tobin suddenly started writhing around violently her in sleep. Immediately thinking that Tobin was having some sort of epileptic seizure or a possible stroke or some sort of abnormal muscle spasm, Alex tried to grab Tobin. Tobin had managed to knee her in the eye instead. Peering curiously at her friend’s face, she noticed the furrowed eyebrows and the set jaw. Then she came to the sudden realisation. Tobin was running. _Sleep running._ And it was absolutely adorable. Tobin Heath literally dreams about playing soccer.

…

                                                                                        

Alex woke up with a start, groaning when she noticed a heavy weight on top of her. A literal weight on top of her chest. Groaning from the effort it took to open her eyes, she wasn’t really all that surprised when she found a mass of golden-brown hair tickling her chin. Tobin Heath was lying on top of her.

 

Alex had almost forgotten that Tobin was a sleep-hugger. Unsure of what to do, she lay there unable to stop herself from running her hand through Tobin’s golden-brown hair. As strange as she found having Tobin lying on top of her, she thought it wasn’t that bad. It was actually kind of nice. Warm and comfortable and really nice.

 

She also tried not to notice how perfectly comfortable Tobin’s weight was on top of her. Or how she wouldn’t mind waking up like this every morning. _For the rest of her life._

Tobin began nuzzling her face into Alex’s shoulder, reminding Alex of a puppy. Tobin’s eyes snapped open and she lifted her head slowly. Her face grew alarmingly sullen.

 

“I am so sorry; I must’ve woken you up in the middle of the night. This is so embarrassing, I’m-”

 

“Babe, there’s no need to be sorry. We’re okay,” murmured Alex prodding Tobin’s nose playfully. Tobin scrunched up her nose and frowned.

 

“It’s five o’clock,” Tobin said informatively and then lay her head back on Alex’s shoulder with a sigh, “let’s not sneak out this morning, okay?” she asked. Alex grinned.

 

“Of course not,” Alex replied. She planted a kiss on the top of Tobin’s head and inhaled deeply. If best friends didn’t do this all the time, they probably should, because it feels pretty fantastic. 


	3. The Plan Initiates

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> God forbid, this plan ever successfully takes off

“Shut up, Megan. They are slumbering,” hissed Kelley turning to look at her friend both of them sporting wonderful cases of bed head.

 

“Slumber?” said Megan rolling her eyes, “Really?”

 

“Is that all you can think about? My exceptional vocabulary?” asked Kelley incredulously. She shook her head slightly and then as seriously as she could, “the real question is: ‘how do we take the most compromising photo possible to justify the amount of shit we’ll give them for said potential photo?’” she mused. She held her phone out to test different angles, frowning at each attempt.

 

With both of them deeply pondering their thoughts, they didn’t notice two people had joined them at Alex and Tobin’s slightly ajar door.

 

“You two better not be making a porno.”

 

Hope’s voice pulled Kelley out of her thoughts. Kelley jumped so violently she dropped her phone with a loud clatter on the floor. Hope looked from Kelley to Pinoe to Kelley’s iphone. She was definitely not amused. 

 

“What the hell are you guys doing anyway?” a new voice asked.

 

“Sydney, why the hell did you follow me?” whispered Pinoe. In what she believed to be a whisper anyway. 

 

“Will you shut up? You are all so frustrating. I am trying to take a good fucking photo okay. God,” huffed Kelley without turning around. 

 

Hope, Sydney and Pinoe stood off to one side, standing so close to each other; they were practically glued together. Squinting at her screen, head tilted to the right, nose scrunched up, eyebrows furrowed and biting her lower lip in deep concentration, Kelley turned around to shoot the three a thumb’s up. She bolted for her own room down the hallway from Alex and Tobin’s, Sydney, Pinoe and Hope not far behind her.

…

 

“But, soft!”

 

“Tobin do not start this shit again.”

 

“What light through yonder window breaks?”

 

“You do this every morning.”

 

“It is the east, and Juliet,” Tobin danced around an unhappy looking Alex on her bed, “is the sun.”

 

“I will send you to the east,” Alex is not a morning person. Not in the slightest. 

 

“Arise, fair sun,”

 

Tobin pulled Alex to her feet and not-so-gracefully guided her to the window.

 

“There is no sun. It’s pissing outside.”

 

“And kill the envious moon!”

 

“I’m sick and pale with grief because of you,” said Alex rolling her eyes. Knowing already that Tobin will recite the entire monologue by herself if she doesn’t join in at some point. She pretends to peer outside her window.

 

Why is she doing this? She’s a world-renown soccer player. She’s not supposed to remember the lines of a fourteenth century play. Let alone remotely help re-enact it at on an actual balcony. 

 

She turned around to remind Tobin about breakfast and quickly realised she was alone in their room. Strange. Tobin makes noise every where she goes, she would have heard her leave. Then she heard the loud clatter of bottles falling and then a pause, and then more stuff falling. 

 

“Are you okay in there, Tobin?”  

 

She quickly moved to stand in front of the bathroom door. 

 

“Uh. I’m fine! Don’t come in here, I’m totally naked, okay,”

 

Of course Tobin wouldn’t mind informing her on her current state of dress. Or rather, undress. All the people on their floor probably heard Tobin’s announcement. Choosing to ignore what Tobin had told her, she ventured on to ask her about breakfast. 

 

“Are we going to breakfast?” 

 

“Yes! I just gotta shave though!” 

 

The entire floor most likely heard that. God Tobin. Running a hand through her long, brown hair, she blushed crimson. Tobin’s filter is non-existent obviously. Now everyone will wonder what they’re yelling for. Kelley, Sydney and Megan are going to give her so much shit about being married later.

 

“Alex!” yelled Tobin suddenly.

 

“Yeah?” 

 

“I need some underwear! And a bra!” 

 

Blushing furiously, Alex covered her face with her hands. 

 

“Where?”

 

“In my bag! I want the white ones with the stripes okay!” 

 

She unzipped Tobin’s bag and dug through til she found Tobin’s underwear. Striped ones? Who the fuck even owns patterned underwear anymore? Her cheeks burning, she held up a pair. Victoria’s Secret. Jesus Christ. And all of the Gods that Tobin worships. 

 

“I’ve got them!” she called uncertainly. 

 

“Okay you gotta shut your eyes though! I’m still naked!” yelled Tobin. 

 

Of course she’s still naked. That’s the second time Tobin had announced to the world that she’s in her birthday suit. Alex just pawed through her best-friend’s underwear supply and she’s about to enter the bathroom door holding her best-friend’s said underwear. She knocked twice. 

 

“Are your eyes shut?” she heard Tobin yell. 

 

“Yeah!” 

 

“Okay, you can come in, but shut your eyes!”

 

Reluctantly, she opened the door with her eyes closed, as promised. She blindly put her arms in front of her as she fumbled around the bathroom. 

 

“Stop moving so much, you almost hit my boob!” 

 

Alex’s cheeks burned red. 

 

“Just take the damn underwear,” she hissed. She thought she hissed that anyway. Feeling warm fingers pry the clothing from her hands she released a breath she hadn’t realised she was holding. She was no longer holding her friend’s underwear. Meanwhile, Tobin had somehow gotten herself dressed in the span of two minutes. It was a Christmas miracle. 

 

However, upon closer inspection, she noted the red jersey was only pulled down halfway over a shirt that looked to be inside out. She was like a child sometimes. An adorable child. The only thing that looked to be remotely correct were Tobin’s pants. she was trying to put on her shoes and socks on and at the same time get her arm through a jacket sleeve. Such a special person. 

 

“Do you need help or shall I stand here and wonder why you can’t dress yourself?” 

 

Tobin rubbed her eye and squinted at her. 

 

“I’m perfect.”

 

“Whatever. Just hurry up.” 

 

Glancing at her phone she realised they weren’t even running acceptably late, they were ridiculously late. Fuck. 

 

She grabbed Tobin’s forearm and dragged her into the hallway and into an elevator. She would have to straighten out her friend’s clothes in the elevator. Alex huffed and she handed Tobin a hair tie and comb. She proceeded to tie Tobin’s shoelaces and straighten her jersey and shirt. 

 

“You are such a child,” she said with a grin.

 

“Whatever, you love taking care of me,” said Tobin not missing a beat.

 

Alex did.


	4. The Officer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "We strike tonight!"

“There,” said Alex pulling Tobin’s jersey down covering her inside-out shirt, “you’re sort of cleaned up,” She tilted her head and grimaced softly. Sort of. 

 

“We’re late,” Tobin told her matter-of-factly. 

 

Alex rolled her eyes and grabbed Tobin’s wrist, circling her fingers around it gently. They’re late, nothing unusual. She’s actually kind of surprised that she’s still functioning without her morning coffee. 

…

 

“Why are you two  _always_  late?” asked Christie giving them a once over. 

 

Alex’s eyes widened and Tobin stared down at her shoes looking thoroughly ashamed. Christie almost felt guilty for surprising them. Tobin especially. She gave them a second once-over and noticed that Alex had her hand wrapped around Tobin’s wrist and was standing in front of her almost, protectively. 

 

She sighed. 

 

“Never mind, just go get your breakfasts’. You guys will probably want to digest your food before training later.” 

 

Christie involuntarily smiled when they both scampered to opposite ends of the breakfast table. Tobin, of course, knocking people down like an out of control puppy trying to be the first to get to the coffee section. Christie frowned. Tobin’s not supposed to be drinking coffee. _Tobin doesn’t even drink coffee_. She scanned the room for Alex, whose tray was balancing 3 cartons of chocolate milk. Then she realised what they were doing.

 

 _They were getting each other breakfast_. 

…

 

“What should we do with this wonderfully incriminating piece of photographic evidence, officer?” asked Pinoe excitedly passing Kelley’s iphone back to her team mate. Hope rolled her eyes and Sydney was sporting the best poker-face she’d ever mustered. 

 

“Don’t call her officer. You’ll inflate her already large ego,” added Sydney absent-mindedly glancing at her nails. Kelley was chewing her toast with a look of concentration. Her friends waited as she swallowed. 

 

“We shall,” she paused for effect, “take more incriminating photographic evidence!” she swallowed her juice gauging her friends’ reactions.

 

“You realise that this is pure stupidity, correct?” said Hope. 

 

“We could always call upon our fellow officers for back-up,” added Kelley. She looked around her table and grabbed the toothpick container and stuck one in the corner of her mouth. 

 

“I’m a real officer now,” she narrowed her eyes at Sydney, whose attention was currently focussed on Tobin, who was balancing two cups of something on her overloaded food tray. Huffing pointedly, Kelley poked Sydney’s arm and grinned. Sydney shook her head and continued eating her food, swapping between cereal and oatmeal every few bites. 

 

“But how shall we carry out  _the plan_?” whispered Pinoe talking behind her toast. 

 

“Is this actually serious?” asked Hope. 

“We need to implement  _the plan_  as discretely as possible,” Kelley whispered.

 

“What’s  _the plan_  anyway?” asked Sydney raising an eyebrow. 

Kelley swapped her toothpick for a carrot stick and chewed contemplatively. An uncharacteristic mutual silence washed over their usually noisy table. 

 

Hope glanced at Lauren and A-Rod. They were watching their table curiously and probably wondered why they were so quiet. 

 

“We strike tonight!” announced Kelley loudly, clearly unaware that their silent table had caused the entire room to go quiet too. Kelley grinned. 

…

 

“You didn’t have to get me coffee, Tobin,” said Alex trying not to smile between sips of her coffee. It tasted awful. 

 

“I didn’t know which to get you, so I got decaf and regular,” said Tobin reaching for her milk cartons, “thanks for getting me my milk though.” 

 

Alex watched as Tobin went through her strange daily ritual of stacking eggs on her waffles and taking exactly one bite of it before switching to toast.

 

“Why do you always do this?” asked Alex gesturing to the abandoned stack of waffles and eggs. 

 

“Sometimes it tastes good,” said Tobin with a shrug. She opened her second carton of chocolate milk and downed it in 3 impressive gulps. Alex pulled a face. Her best-friend can be really gross. 


	5. Hope's Predicament

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mittsy is extremely insightful with whom she thinks are frickle-frackling

She wondered how she got herself into this situation. She never meddled in anybody’s business; she didn’t even care about romance. In fact, she did her best to avoid social situations. But Hope found herself standing guard in the hallway to warn Kelley if anybody was walking towards Tobin and Alex’s room.

 

She was still trying to figure out how Kelley managed to convince her.

 

“Hope!”

 

Her timing was truly impeccable.

 

“Have you seen Ashlyn? Or Ali?” asked Mittsy shooting Hope a lopsided grin.

 

Hope raised an eyebrow at her team mate suspiciously. Mittsy only ever smiled like that when she was up to something.

 

“You know, they’re not actually dating. They’re just friends,” Hope replied with a snort.

 

“Yeah and Tobin and Alex aren’t screwing each other’s brains out every night.”

 

Hope paused. She almost choked on her own spit. She was the picture of poise and beauty for women’s soccer, and she simply does not choke on her own saliva.

 

“They can’t be dating. Pia wouldn’t put two people who’d screw each other senseless in the same room,” said Hope, trademark smirk already in place.

 

“Hope Solo. Don’t tell me you don’t remember the time Pia thought Pinoe and Walshy were simply friends, do you?”

 

Heather raised an eyebrow at her friend and grinned brightly. Silly, Hope.

 

“What is your point?”

 

“I-I- do you want to find Ashlyn and Ali or are you going to argue with me?”

 

“Just remember, I’m rooting for you!”

 

With that, Mittsy skipped happily down the hallway, completely aware and a little proud of Hope’s confusion.

…

 

“You can’t just look through people’s stuff, Kel,” said Sydney.

 

Kelley was currently rifling through the bathroom in Tobin and Alex’s room.

 

“How did you get their key anyway?” asked Pinoe running a hand through her white blond hair.

 

“One will never reveal their pick-pocketing secrets!”

 

Sydney and Pinoe’s eyes widened.

 

“You. Stole. Their. Key?” Kelley had never in her life heard Pinoe sound so horrified.

 

“Yeah. What’s wrong with that?”

 

“Kelley. Sweetie,” said Sydney slowly, “that’s robbery.”

 

Kelley scrunched up her face and raised an eyebrow. It didn’t occur to her that maybe pinching someone’s key card was stealing. She was going to give it back anyway.

 

“Whatever. We’re done in here anyway,” said Kelley with a grin.

…

 

After drinking the most disgusting coffee she had ever tasted in her life, Alex decided to head straight to her room to thoroughly brush her teeth. Also, witnessing Tobin down three cartons of milk, three gulps per package, had her blushing to the roots of her hair.

 

The next thing she knew, she found herself on the floor, landing with a muffled, “oof.”

 

“I am so sorry!” Kelley pulled Alex off the floor so hard and fast that she went flying. And then she promptly lost her balance after Kelley barrelled past her - Sydney, Pinoe and Hope on her heels shooting apologetic grimaces - she almost landed on the floor again. But a pair of gentle hands caught her.

 

“Are you alright?”

 

Pretty fucking cliché, Alex mused.

 

“I’m alright,” she said an involuntary smile gracing her face, “you caught me.”

 

“I catch you all the time, Lex.” Replied Tobin sincerely.

 

Alex had to bite back a laugh. Tobin probably had no idea about the potentially romantic implications of what she had said. She had no idea whether to find this ridiculously endearing or hopeless. Tobin was her everything anyway.

 

“I know, babe.” 


	6. The Plan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Plan is so important it requires capitalising.

“Alright, alright, group huddle! Team huddle! Huddle time!” Kelley announced holding her arms wide. Pinoe eagerly rushed to her left side, her shock of blonde hair standing up twenty-three different directions and a manic grin on her face. Sydney darted to Kelley’s right, enthusiastically crashing into them both. Hope rolled her eyes and elegantly joined their “huddle.”

 

“Alright. What’s _The Plan_?” asked Pinoe suddenly sounding very serious.

 

“I have absolutely no clue.” Said Kelley happily.

 

“We have to get them to kiss.” Said Sydney. Hope noted that while Syd sounded relatively lucid, this whole Plan thing was getting kind of ridiculous.

 

“You all sound insane.” Hope said.

 

“And yet you are still here.” Kelley said with a totally un-Kelley like smirk.

 

Hope secretly admitted to herself that she probably is. The good insane kind though, obviously.

 

“What’s the plan?”

 

“Kelley doesn’t know yet.” Sydney said reaching out to pat Pinoe’s unruly hair. _Interesting_. It wouldn’t lie down. She would have to personally deal with this situation.

 

“So what information have we collected from –” Kelley paused exaggeratedly “ _the room_?”

 

“They share toothpaste!” Pinoe announced.

 

“So do you and Syd.” Hope interjected pointedly. Pinoe scoffed. She and Sydney only shared toothpaste because Sydney was notorious in “forgetting” to pack toiletry but somehow remembered her never-ending supply of shoes and make up. Also, Sydney promised she’d let Pinoe have all the complimentary hotel products in exchange for allowing her to tame that unruly blonde hair.

 

“They share shoes?” Sydney said unsurely.

 

“The commanding officer would like some evidence.” Kelley puffed up proudly at her nickname. She was definitely an officer. Officer K.O. Officer Knock Out. Officer –

 

“Yes, Officer McSquirrel Nuts would like some evidence.” Hope drawled interrupting Kelley’s thoughts. Kelley huffed indignantly _. Officer Knock Out it is._

 

“I noted that they wore the same pair of shoes on alternating days. Sometimes they even share cleats!” Sydney said slowly. “Today at breakfast, Alex was wearing Tobin’s Nike high-tops!”

 

Hope sniffed. It would be so typical of Tobin and Alex to share cleats; she wasn’t surprised because the two constantly got their kits mixed up even though their lockers were at opposite ends of the change-rooms. Any idiot would know this.

 

“We have training in five minutes!” A loud, cheerful voice called _. Cheney_. Kelley exhaled. Cheney’s voice is so pretty.

 

Predictably, Lauren stuck her head in the doorway and her wide grin immediately turned into a frown. Kelley didn’t like that at all.

 

“Why weren’t we invited to this party?” she asked. Amy’s head was visible over her left shoulder. They peered into Hope and Kelley’s room with poorly hidden curiosity. Lauren genuinely looked upset. And that in turn upset Kelley. A little.

 

Pinoe looked longingly at Lauren and Amy to Kelley, silently asking.

“Aw, alright. But only those two. We can’t let anybody else in on the plan.” Kelley said with a dramatic sigh. Anything to get rid of that sad frown.

 

At this Lauren and Amy bounded into the room squeezing into the circle between Sydney and Hope both grinning wildly.

 

“What’s The Plan?”

 

“Pinoe I swear, if you ask that question one more time –”

 

“The plan is,” Kelley interrupted before Sydney threatened to pummel their friend, “to get Tobin and Alex to kiss!”

 

“Shh!”

 

“Oh shut up.” That was Lauren.

 

“We’re serious.”

 

“ _Oh._ ”

…

 

“Stop stretching already, we need to leave.” Alex whined trying not to appear mortified at Tobin’s split.

 

“I am merely readying my muscles for hours of strenuous activities.” Tobin said completely used to Alex’s impatience.

 

Alex was pacing their room trying un-hear what Tobin had just said. She was already decked out in the standard team uniform clutching her trademark pink tape. She was ready for the gruelling work out and training session. All she needed was Tobin to finish stretching. _Goddamn_.

 

“I need to maintain my flexibility. So I’ll be ready all the time.” Tobin added as an afterthought, completely unaware that her friend was blushing furiously.

 

Alex didn’t know whether to be completely embarrassed or completely impressed. She schooled her expression and sighed. She knew it was totally alright to find her friends attractive. Hope is attractive. Kelley is too. Lauren and Amy were also relatively pretty. Sydney and Pinoe were definitely eye-catching too. Even Abby and LeP were ridiculously endearing. Mittsy was downright gorgeous. And Christie was a “hot mama.” She wasn’t going to dare think about the younger players either, nor the ones she had met through their USWNT games.

 

“Babe, help me.” Tobin held her arms up to Alex.

 

Alex was more than happy to assist. Although, if she was going by the level of attractive she found her teammates, Tobin surpassed them all. She near has a heart attack every time Tobin smiled at her. It was no secret that Tobin was attractive. Everyone knew that.

 

Tobin quickly pulled on her jacket and shoes not noticing the way Alex studied her movements. She stood up, experimentally bouncing on her heels. When satisfied with her shoes, they both walked to the elevator. Tobin wrung her hands together for a second, feeling like she had forgotten something important. Then she remembered. Without warning, she plunged her cold fingers into Alex’s jacket pocket and gently interlaced their fingers.

 

“I was cold.” Tobin shrugged.

 

Alex chose to ignore the fact that they were wearing the identical, down-to-the-exact-thread-count, team jackets. Her hands were feeling a little chilly too, anyway. 


	7. World Domination

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dipshits and world domination.

_“How are you doing that?” Kelley asked having gotten over her initial irritation with Tobin’s lack of ability to run out of breath or speed during their demanding practices._

_Tobin shrugged and peered up at Kelley, squinting at the sun and scrunching her nose up in obvious confusion._

_“What?”_

_Kelley stared at her teammate incredulously._

_“That- that thing you’re doing right now!” Kelley began animatedly flailing her arms around like a madwoman, “you’re not even tired!”_

_“I’m a little bit tired, that’s why I’m sitting down.” Tobin said matter-of-factly, with another shrug. Kelley threw a frown at Tobin’s other half. However, Alex was far too busy staring at Tobin’s tanned shoulders to notice her teammate’s expression._

_“You’re not normal at all, Tobs.” Carli said straightforwardly. She plucked off a non-existent blade of grass from her socks and raised an eyebrow._

_“Yeah.” Lori, Pinoe and Sydney chimed, all three plopping down on the grass simultaneously._

_Tobin didn’t know how to process this information._ _Was it good or bad_ _?_

_“Who’s not normal?” asked Abby plucking a Gatorade from an indignant Pinoe’s hands and taking an impressive swig. Pinoe dramatically sighed and settled for sharing Sydney’s bottle, without Syd’s knowledge of course._

_“I am.” Tobin said stiffly with a frown. Abby choked and proceeded to have a rather alarming coughing fit. She blinked and stared at Tobin._

_“Well. You’re sort of-” Abby paused looking for the right word and then grinned appearing highly impressed with herself, “superhuman?”_

_Pinoe, Kelley and Sydney dissolved into giggles onto each other and the grass while Hope fought the urge to physically face-palm and roll her eyes._

 

“Oh, Mary Abigail that is gold.” Kelley gasped out between giggles.

 

“Just like my medal.” This time though, Hope did roll her eyes.

 

“Like _our_ medals.”

 

Abby scoffed and took another swig of her Gatorade. Hope rolled her eyes pretending not to be amused at their conversation. Christie snorted when Abby had another coughing fit. Kelley, Sydney and Pinoe were still giggling hysterically, happily elbowing each other, only Lauren, Amy and Lori had joined in. Carli seemed really intent on getting rid of all the non-existent blades of grass on her uniform.

 

Alex, however, was still too busy staring at Tobin’s well-sculpted shoulders to properly process what was happening.

 

“Superhuman?” Tobin said, quietly testing out the word. She kind of liked it.

 

Nerdy, but sort of cool.  

…

 

“So what do you reckon?”

 

“I don’t reckon anything.” Christie reached into the bowl of grapes between them and stuck seven into her mouth, one after the other, completely ignoring the dumbfounded expression on her teammate’s face.

 

Abby rolled her eyes and mock-glared at Christie, whose attention was currently pre-occupied with vigorously chewing said grapes.

 

“If you had the balls the lie to me, you’d at least _try_ to be a little convincing.”

 

“Oh, I am plenty convincing, Miss Wambach.” Her statement, had it even been remotely true, was completely disregarded mainly because she was trying to stuff another seven grapes into her mouth. _World-class athlete, indeed_.

 

“Don’t play coy.”

 

“Please, I have two children. Who’s coy now?” Grape.

 

Abby visibly shuddered and pulled a disgusted face. However, it only resulted in Christie roaring with laughter and spluttering grape everywhere.

 

“That was disgusting.” Abby pointedly paused between each word and prodded her friend in the nose with her index finger, “absolutely disgusting.”

 

“Alright, alright. I’m sorry for tainting your honour.” Christie raised both hands as if surrendering, her shoulders still shaking with laughter.

 

Abby scoffed, apparently outraged. She leaned over to physically remove the offending grape-bowl and quietly dropped it on a nearby chair. Christie visibly deflated, but almost immediately perked up when she spotted a bowl of pistachio nuts. _Yes._

 

Abby’s eye twitched. 

 

“No, but seriously. Those two?” A slow smile making its way across Abby’s features.

 

“Which two?”

 

“Oh come on. You know exactly _‘which two’_ I’m talking about.”

 

“There are so many _‘twos’_ that are potential soul mates, dipshit.”

 

“You’re a dipshit.”

 

“Really?”

  
“We sound like Kelley and Pinoe.”

 

They both stared at each other and snorted at the same time. Once they composed themselves again, a pensive look came over Abby’s cheerful face.

 

“Come on.” Christie nudged her friend in the ribs with her sneaker-clad foot, eliciting a rather unusually high-pitched squeal, “which ‘two’?”

 

“Tobs and Alex. _Duh_.” Abby caught the other woman’s foot with ease, held it still and gave a half-hearted glare.

 

“This conversation would’ve been a lot shorter if you had just said that, dipshit. And I thought they were friends.”

  
Deciding to pointedly ignore the childish insult, Abby studied her captain’s expression curiously.

 

“Which two?”

 

“Don’t you know?” Christie teased, her words muffled slightly by the pistachios she had just stuffed in her mouth.

 

“Will you just – oh for god’s sake just tell me.”

 

“Kelley’s ridiculous crush on Lauren.” Abby stared at her incredulously. “Hope’s even more ridiculous crush on Kelley.” Abby narrowed her eyes and raised an eyebrow, another infectious grin threatening to break lose.

 

“You’re saying that _our_ Hope Solo has a crush on _our_ Kelley O’Hara?”

 

Christie nodded her affirmative. Abby’s eyebrows nearly flew off her face.

 

“No way.” She breathed, eyes widening ludicrously.

 

“I’m about as serious as how Ashlyn and Ali believe nobody knows about them.”

  
Abby chuckled in disbelief. And swallowed, almost nervously.

 

“So where does Amy fit into all this?” she asked suddenly.

 

“Which Amy?”

 

“A-Rod, you –” Abby flicked a grape at her teammate’s forehead with spectacular accuracy, effectively cutting off the almost insult.

 

“My theory is that Amy is plotting world domination.”

 

“World domination? Sweet, A-Rod?” Christie sniggered. “No way.”

 


	8. Tame is not Syd or Pinoe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> See what snooping around gets you? Nothing but more questions.

“I’m pretty sure that if they wanted to get together, they would.” Hope said, stepping over a sprawled Kelley in their shared hotel room with practiced ease.

 

“I’m pretty sure that even if they were married for ten years, they wouldn’t realise it.” Kelley said rolling her eyes. Hope laughed. _Kelley was probably right._

 

That was weird. Kelley and being right usually didn’t belong in the same sentence.

 

“Oi!” Sydney’s muffled voice came through the door. More banging. And a short scuffle. “Let us in!” More banging.

 

Kelley yanked the door open to find Sydney and Pinoe wrestling for the door-space, both sporting dishevelled clothing and messy hair. Messier for Pinoe, naturally.

 

Both of them, of course were aimlessly traipsing about the empty hallways of the floor their team were staying on, Sydney mumbling about how strange hotel toothpaste tasted.  

 

“Dude, we need to get you some toothpaste, or at least mouthwash.”

 

Sydney elbowed her roommate in the ribs, but said roommate hunched over and hissed quietly, in apparent pain. For a second Syd was worried she might have actually hurt–

 

“You should’ve seen your face!” Pinoe gasped before doubling over again and dissolving into giggles.

 

Sydney rolled her eyes. Before joining the USWNT, she would have never pegged Megan Rapinoe as a _giggler._

 

“Whatever.”

 

“Aw, I was just playin’, girl.” Pinoe playfully nudged Syd in the side and shot her a grin.

 

Silence.

 

“Did you just– Seriously?” The darker woman huffed and pointedly shook her head. Pinoe crossed her arms over her chest like a petulant child and scoffed.

 

“Tobin, stop it please.” A familiar voice said. She sounded, tired?

 

Sydney and Pinoe immediately froze in their tracks and slowly turned to each other. _Alex._

“I don’t know how to make it stop.” The other voice replied softly. She sounded forlorn. They heard a sigh. Alex’s sigh , Sydney noted.

 

“You don’t need to do anything. ” Alex replied resolutely.

  
Pinoe turned to Syd, an intrigued expression crossing her features. They heard shuffling. And a soft sniffle.

 

“Come here.” Alex’s voice commanded gently.

 

Both their eyebrows furrowed in concern. What was Tobin upset about?   Syd raised an eyebrow at her friend and shrugged.

 

“Should we leave them alone?” Pinoe asked so quietly, that if the blonde hadn’t whispered it directly in her ear, she wouldn’t have heard it. Sydney shook her head fiercely . No. She had to know what was happening. Or get an idea of it, at the very least. Pinoe looked like she wanted to argue but–

 

“You’ll do no such thing!” Alex’s voice said loudly. They heard another sniffle and a muffled whine.

 

“What if–”

 

“Tobin.” Alex’s voice was gentle and soft and smooth, like silk.

 

Pinoe had heard that quality once and knew that it meant something. She felt like they were intruding on an extremely intimate moment between two of their younger, newer members but she couldn’t help herself. She knew Syd felt the same. She snuck a quick glance at her friend and Syd’s eyes were slightly glazed over.

 

“You okay?” She asked in a breathy whisper. Sydney nodded and blinked several times before indicating with her head that they should leave.

 

It was a strange, comforting quietness between the two. Both of whom were unused to being any level of serious, despite being close friends.

 

“What do you think that was about?” Sydney asked, not raising her voice above a soft whisper.

 

“I know as much as you do.” The blonde replied with a shrug. She sighed and ran a hand through her hair, not caring that she had messed up half-an-hours’ worth of vanity. Pinoe heard the other woman sigh with mild frustration.

 

“Are you guys alright?” Kelley asked, slightly concerned. She felt Hope come up behind her and peer over her shoulder curiously.

 

“Yeah. You guys seem–” Hope paused and scrunched up her eyebrows, “tame?”

 

Kelley suppressed a laugh at Hope’s entirely accurate description. But immediately turned serious when neither Syd nor Pinoe defended themselves.

 

Sydney and Pinoe quickly pushed their way inside the room, past their teammates and briefly fought over the armchair before compromising: Pinoe in Sydney’s lap; which was silly considering that there was another empty armchair directly opposite of the one they had just wrestled over.  

 

“Please. Come right in.” Hope muttered under her breath before shutting the door.   Kelley playfully nudged her side.

 

Kelley plopped onto Hope’s bed and sat down cross-legged, pulling Hope down with her. Suddenly remembering, Syd and Pinoe looked at each other and then both noisily launched into two stories simultaneously. Hope cringed at the sudden volume increase.

 

“Whoa!” Kelley yelped in surprise, “For God’s sake, just one of you talk.”

 

Sydney looked grudgingly Kelley for a second but complied anyway.

 

“We saw –”

  
“No heard–”

 

“Alex and Tobin –”

 

“Fighting!”

 

Kelley and Hope’s eyes widened. _What._

 

“No no no–”

 

“Not like that of course –“

 

“It was like couple-fighting –”

 

“Tobin was upset or something–“

  
“And Alex was–”

 

“Being whipped –”

 

“And Tobin said some things–“

 

“We didn’t hear all of it though–“

  
“Alex and Tobs talked–“

 

“Totes –“

 

“Adorable.” Sydney finished with a smile.

 

Kelley and Hope exchanged expressions and then after a second or two, burst out laughing.

 

“What?” Pinoe asked, a genuinely confused expression clouding her features. Syd stared at them warily, equally as confused.

 

Hope sucked in a breath and despite herself, a tiny giggle escaped.

 

“You just did that stupid finishing-each-other’s-sentences thing.”

 

“We so did not.” Pinoe huffed, short blonde hair bouncing obnoxiously.

 

“The Plan is working!” Kelley bounced excitedly on her feet and threw herself across Hope in delight. Hope managed to stick her arms out at the last minute and caught Kelley's torso before she came colliding into her knee-caps.

 

“We haven’t even implemented The Plan yet, dummy.” Syd said throwing a pillow in the general direction of Kelley and Hope.

 

Sydney sorely hoped that nothing was wrong with Tobin. Pinoe didn’t know what to feel. They couldn’t just repeat what they’d seen earlier. It felt... wrong to reveal it.

 

Then the pillow came hurdling back and got her in the face. 


End file.
